


Lost Boys

by imgilmoregirl



Series: Family Hope [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-25 02:44:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10755099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imgilmoregirl/pseuds/imgilmoregirl
Summary: S3 AU One-Shot: Rumple goes to Neverland to help rescuing Henry, but it happens that he is not the only boy Pan wants. (Another Way follow up)





	Lost Boys

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time or any of the characters and storylines in the show. This is just a fanwork made for fun.
> 
> Here it is, as I promissed. That was the best way I could think about fiting Gideon into the S3 arc, because in the end Rumple's children are never safe, right? I just wish they were.  
> I'll be starting posting the new Dark Castle AU on Monday with the next Golden Rose's drabble, because sorrily I'll be completely unable to post anything during the weekend, but I guarantee I'll be writing in this mean time.

"You are not coming back?" Belle asked in disbelief.

They were all in the docks, beside Capitain Hook's big ship the Jolly Roger, ready to board. Belle was pretty convinced that was going to join them before Rumple remind her that somebody should stay home to watch for Gideon, since none of them were ready to trust his care to anyone, especially if one of the nuns happened to end up getting this job. But hearing him speaking like they were never going to see one another again made tears come to her eyes.

"This is something I must do Belle. I must save my grandson and honour Baelfire."

"But are you willing to leave your own boy fatherless? You are strong and powerful, Rumple, I'm sure you'll find a way to save him and come back to your family. I will see you again."

She crossed her arms around his neck and kissed him hungrily, their teeths colliding in a desperate attempt of opening the other’s mouth for their tongues to explore. Everyone was looking mesmerized at them while they seemed to try eating themselves, but Rumple and Belle weren’t aware of anything but their mouths and hands trying to memorize each little part of the other’s body.

“Ew!” Gideon said. “Mama! Papa! Stop this!”

They pulled apart, laughing at their son.

“I’ll miss you, Gid.” Rumple said, before kissing the top of his son’s head.

“I’ll miss you too, papa.”

Rumplestiltskin smiled to them and nodded briefly before joining the others aboard the ship.

* * *

 

"Papa!"

The sound of Gideon's voice, made Rumplestiltskin turn his head to the trees behind him. He was sitting all alone on a trunk, flames crackling in the bonfire, the low sounds of the jungle coming to him with the gusts of wind. It couldn't be true, his son couldn't be there.

"Papa!" He heard again, standing up to look around.

Gideon came from behind the trees, exactly like Belle had done earlier, wearing leather clothes like the ones he used to when they lived in the Dark Castle, black boots covering his feet and his auburn hair carefully tidy. He rubbed his fists against his eyes in a sleepily way and approached the father, hugging his leg and resting his forehead on his thigh.

“Is it time to go to bed?” Gideon asked.

“You’re not real.” Rumple muttered, to convince himself, but the feeling of his son clutched against him was too veritable to not be true. “How can you be here?”

“You always put me to bed, but you wasn’t there and I couldn’t sleep.”

Rumplestilskin got the boy up on his arms and sat again, rocking Gideon like he used to do when he was just a baby, not a six-year-old. Slowly his eyelids closed and his breath started to get a constant deep rhythm, making the father think he was asleep, but Gideon opened his lips and whispered: “Aren’t you coming home?”

“Probably not.”

“Why? I like it when you are there, papa. Mama does too.”

He thought about his darling Belle, laying in a cold bed, hoping and wanting for his return, when he had been so clear with her that he had no intention in coming back alive. There it was a prophecy which said that his grandson was his undoing and, even though in the past Rumple had spent time thinking about how escape from his fate, now that Baelfire was dead the only thing he could consider was saving Henry and doing at least one right thing in the name of his dead son.

Things only would be easier if he hadn’t a beautiful woman and a sweet innocent boy to protect to. Anyway, he couldn’t be selfish right now. Belle and Gideon would make it out without him.

He ran a finger along his son’s nose and answered: “I know, my boy, but I need to save Henry.”

Gideon opened up his warm brown eyes. “What about me?”

“You’ll be fine, Gid.”

A sad expression crossed the boy’s face and he hid it on his father’s chest. “But you are not going to be there to guarantee.”

Eventually, Gideon slept and Rumple placed in on the ground, near to the bonfire, where he surely won’t be cold and walked away a bit, reaching a tree and slamming his fist against it. He told himself that he was having visions and nothing of this had really happened when he felt that somebody was watching him. Turning around he saw Pan.

“Why the hell are you following me?” Rumplestiltskin shout.

Pan’s smile was soft as he glanced to the place where Gideon had been, but wasn’t anymore, confirming Rumple’s theory that he was on delusional. “So, it’s true then, boy?” Peter asked. “You really had another son with that maid of yours.”

“This is none of your business.”

“Oh, don’t worry, it’s really not. But I knew it was going to happen sooner or later, you missed having a child around and you couldn’t ignore the beauty of that young and fertile girl you earned from a deal.”

Rumplestiltskin’s jaw tightened. “What the hell do you want?”

A simple doll toy appeared in Pan’s hands. “You should give this to your boy when you go home, like a heritance, passed from father to son.” He pushed the thing to Rumple’s hands. “Tell little Gideon that his grandpa said hi.”

* * *

 

Granny's was completely full that afternoon. It seemed to be the only place that people could think about to go when they wanted to celebrate something as important as Henry's successful rescue. People were walking around, talking happily to the others or ordering snacks from their tables.

Gideon Gold was sat on a stool near where his big brother was at the stand, drinking some sort of grownups juice. He got one of his fries and ate it, watching as his said nephew approached to join him.

"Where are your parents?" Henry asked.

"In the shop." The younger boy answered. "They wanted to be alone for a while, so Neal brought me here."

"Cool." Henry catched one of his fries, but didn't eat it, just looked at the thing like it was a rare piece of food. "Hey, Gid, don't you feel alone sometimes?"

With a confusing frown, her shook his head. "No. Why would I? I have my mama and papa, my brother, a lot of friends at school - "

"Yes, but your parents left you alone once, didn't they?"

Gideon was seeing no point in that conversation, all he could think about was that his friend was acting very weirdly. He attributed that to the tiring journey, concluding that the other boy must've be really in need of a nap. So he answered the best way he could to that confusing question: "They were captured, they never wanted to leave me."

"Right. What about your powers, how much can you control it?"

"Henry, are you feeling well?"

"Yeah, why are you asking?"

"Because you're my friend and you know that papa doesn't allow me to use my powers when he is not around because I can't control them."

A smirk appeared in Henry's lips. He was about so say something but Rumple and Belle entered the diner, rushing to his side, his mama fulling both his cheek with kisses, happier than she had been since his papa left town. Rumplestiltskin held up his son, pulling him from the chair and Gideon exclaimed in protest.

"Papa, pull me down." He giggled.

"Alright, my boy."

Sometimes his parents acted like they thought Gideon was just a toddler again, and usually he didn't care because that meant he was getting more attention, but them doing this on the fuller diner was another story. Gideon felt embarrassed. He was a big boy who didn't wanted the rest of the town treating him like a baby.

"Papa is back in his suit, great, this is less intimidating than the leather clothes." Neal joked.

"Oh, liked the leather. Very much." His mama said, her cheeks turning red.

Neal shook his head, laughing. "Hope you two at least used protection."

"You were trying protection spells?" Gideon asked, innocently.

This time who turned red was his papa. His mama giggled and hided her face on her hands.

"Aye. Protection spells."

"Next time I can help." The little boy offered, making not just his half-brother break into laughs but most of the people who could've hear what they were saying too. His parents looked miserable.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"I think it's time to go home." Rumple pointed out.

"Already?"

"Yes, already." Belle said helding her hand for him to take.

Gideon let his parents drag him out of the diner and led him to his papa's black car. During their way home, he singed the catchy music from a cereal's brand TV’s commercial that was stuck into his head and after a time, his mama started singing too, what eventually led his papa to sing, and they were all happy and laughing when they arrived.

The three of them spent the rest of the afternoon in the living room, playing some board games, but it got boring because Belle always won, so Rumple gave up and decided to make them dinner. Gideon begged for some pancakes, but both his parents said it was a breakfast food and he only could get them in the next morning, so after complaining a little he ate his food and then climbed the stairs to his bedroom, putting on his pyjamas and brushing his teeth before coming to his shelf to choose a book.

"Hey, little man." Belle said, standing by the door. "What are we going to read tonight?"

"This one." He replied waving with a red book to her.

"Ok, let's see it."

She got the book and opened the first page, sitting on his bed, but Gideon didn't move. "I want papa to read it."

Belle made a surprised face. "Oh, you're rejecting me?"

"No, mama, I just miss papa."

When Rumple appeared, Belle rose giving him the book. "Apparently, your son doesn't want me to read today. Good luck with him, I'll be waiting in bed." She turned to the boy. "Sweet dreams, Gid."

As she left, Rumplestiltskin took her place with Gideon rushing to his side. He read a whole chapter before turning off the lights and leaving the room.

The little boy was nestled under his blankets, feeling warm and cosy and almost falling asleep when his window opened and Henry passed through it.

"What are you doing here?" Gideon whispered.

"I was thinking if you wanted to come with me in an adventure."

"An adventure?"

"Yes." Henry agreed. "It will be fun."

Gideon sat on the bed, looking at his friend and nephew like he thought the boy had went crazy. Well, one thing he was sure, Henry wasn't acting normally.

"So, are you coming?"

"Do you mean right now? My parents will kill me if I sneak out of the house!"

"Come on, Gideon. You are not a coward, are you?"

"No! I have courage and one day I will be just like the hero my mama named me after."

Henry gave him a tired look. "Does that means you are coming?"

Pushing the blankets aside, he Gideon jumped out of the bed and pulled his shoes on before following Henry through the window.

* * *

 

Belle woke up really late, delightedly realising that her lover was by her side, already woken, his arm wrapped around her waist and his head hidden in her hair.

"Good morning." Rumple muttered.

"Mm, morning."

She turned around to kiss him, running her fingers through his hair.

"It's almost noon." Rumple said when they parted. "How can Gideon not waken us yet?"

"Maybe he's just being a good boy?"

Rumplestiltskin stood up, dressing himself quickly. "I don't feel his magic around the house."

"What?" He left their bedroom as soon as he was fully covered, leaving Belle to grab a robe and wrap it around her body before following him. "Rumple, wait!"

Entering her son's room, she found it empty. The bed had its covers pulled aside and the window was open, Rumple stared at it with widen eyes. "He's gone."

Panic rushed through her veins. Her son's bedroom was empty, Rumple couldn't feel his magic around the house, he wasn’t anywhere near.

"Where is he? Why would he leave?"

"I don't know, sweetheart, but I'm going to find out."

A sound came from their bedroom. Belle's cellphone was ringing. She rushed to answer it, hoping that somebody had found Gideon.

"Hello?"

"Belle?” Emma’s worried voice came through the phone. “Is Gold with you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I need you two to come meet me. Henry disappeared."

Her gaze met Rumple’s as he stared at her in concern, waiting to hear the news. She took a deep breath and answered Emma: “Gideon is gone too. Go to the shop, we’ll meet you there.”

Closing the phone, she sat on the bed, hands trembling, heart pounding faster and desperation filling her. Where could the boys be? And why would them disappear through windows in the middle of the night? She knew her son very well to be completely sure that he would never do something like that by his own will. He was a happy child, had everything he ever wanted, his parents loved him – he had no reason to ran away.

“Belle?”

“What could be happening to him?” She wondered.

Rumplestiltskin kneeled in front of her and took her hands in his, kissing her knuckles. “Dress yourself, sweetheart, and I promise you that when I get to the one who steal our son from us, I’ll make it pay.”

A part of Belle wanted to restrain his killing instincts but this being about their son, she wasn’t able to say anything, only nod and get herself ready to leave their house.

* * *

 

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Snow White questioned, looking between her daughter and Rumple.

“If someone knows who got the boys, this person shall be Pan.” Emma answered.

She crossed the townline, gun in hands and waited for Rumplestiltskin to work his magic on the Pandora’s box a put it on the other side of the line, while it expelled its’ hostage. Peter Pan appeared, confusedly looking around until his gaze met the gun Emma was helding.

“Mom, don’t shoot me!”

“What? Do I look like a three hundred years-old guy’s grandma?”

Even wanting to roll his eyes at that, Rumple wasn't much interested in Miss Swan's sarcasm. "Where are the boys?" He demanded to know.

"Who?" Pan replied. "I - I'm Henry, grandpa! Mom, please! It's me! Pan switched our bodies!"

"Henry?" Emma asked.

"Don't listen to him!" Rumplestiltskin shout. "He's trying to fool us!"

"No! It's me, I swear!"

His patience was almost over. He needed to find his son and his father was trying to play mind games with them, but Rumple knew him very well to not trust a single word that came out of his mouth. "Shoot him. Maybe hurtten he'll be willing to talk."

"No!" Pan begged. "Mom, when I first saw you, you were wearing a red dress!"

"You knowing that doesn't proof anything. Henry could've told you that!" She gave herself a little moment to think before speaking again: "When was the first time we bonded?"

"At the castle, when I told you I knew you have given me up because you wanted me to have my best chance."

Emma lowered the gun. "It's Henry!" She said before hugging the boy tightly.

At his side, Belle held his arm giving him a worried look. He knew exactly what she was thinking. Good for the Charmings that they had Henry back, but Gideon was still missing and if Pan was out there using a body that wasn't his, then he probably had his son.

"I'm sorry to interrupt the beautiful moment, and sorry for asking Emma to shoot you, Henry, but now we must get back to my shop so we can find the real Pan and get my son back."

They agreed and get back to their cars, heading to the pawnbroker.

* * *

 

Henry's friend whose name he forgotten right after hearing it, didn't seemed much friendly for Gideon. They had spent the whole night on the woods near a wishing well and eventually he had slept, tired as he was, but when the boy woke up the next morning, cold and uncomfortable, only his nephew was there, facing the trees like he had something mischievous in his mind.

"What is it?" Gideon asked.

"Oh, nothing." Henry answered. "Good you're awake, now we can go."

"Where?"

A stranger expression passed through Henry's face, some sort of wicked smirk. "The library, of course."

"The library? Better not, if my  mama found us there she is really going to be mad at me."

Henry rolled his eyes. "Don't be such a coward. She's not going to find us."

Wanting to prove him wrong, Gideon followed Henry through the town, still wearing his pyjamas, feeling starving and freezing. He wished the other boy stopped acting so weirdly and just went home, but for some reason, Henry didn't seem to be willing to. He broke the library's door lock, what made Gideon nervous, sure that his mother was going to punish him for that. Maybe she would confiscate all of his books and toys or maybe she could forbidden him of practicing magic with his papa for a month, he had no idea but was certain that what it might be, would be bad. He had never done anything as terrible as this, not even when he set the refrigerator on fire by accident.

They got inside, and Henry started to grab some books and take it out of their places.

"Mama is really going to be mad!" Gideon muttered to himself.

Turning around, Henry glanced at him and then his boy collapsed on the floor, shaking. Gideon screamed, and took some steps back, thinking about running to get somebody to help when the shakes stopped and he sat, looking around a little lost.

"Gideon?"

Nodding, the little boy replied: "Henry, what happened to you?"

"Pan switched bodies with me. Your parents are on the shop and they are sick worried about you! We need to go to them."

Henry stood on his feet and dragged Gideon out of the library to find their family.

* * *

 

Belle left Rumple with Pan on the shop and followed the others to the town’s streets, watching as Henry and Gideon got out of the library. A relieved smile appeared in her lips as her boy ran straight to her arms, hugging her tightly and saying sorry as much times as he could manage to.

“It’s ok, sweetie.” She whispered. “I’m just glad you are fine. But don’t you ever dare disappearing again and putting your father and I through such despair.”

Gideon made a cute regret face. “I’m sorry, mama. I wanted to show Henry – well, Pan, that I wasn’t a coward.”

Shooking her head, Belle touched her son’s shoulder, caressing him, while she spoke: “Listen to me, Gid, you’ll don’t ever have to prove anyone your courage. That’s not what heroes do, if you want to be one, then you’ll have to learn that people will see the courage that come from your acts, mainly from the selfless ones.”

“What is it Regina?” She heard Emma asking and lifted her head up to face the others, staring at them as the sheriff helped the mayor who was lying on the floor to stand up.

“I know what I shall do.”

“We will be fine?” Henry questioned.

“You will” The former Queen answered.

“Actually, no.” Pan said appearing across the street, the little object Regina was helding, switching to his hands instead of hers. Hook stepped forward in his direction and in the next moment they were all frozen in their positions, unable to move.

Smirking Peter Pan, approached them. “Look at the beautiful family we have here.” He stood in front of where Belle, Neal and Gideon were. “The three of you are so precious! It’s difficult to decide which one I’ll kill first. My son’s gorgeous maid, his eldest boy or his innocent younger one? Oh, let’s start with you Baelfire.”

“Get the hell away from them!” Rumplestiltskin said, coming from his shop.

“You can’t stop me, not without magic.”

“Oh, but I can, papa. You’re not going to harm my family, because I’m willing to pay the price for their safety.” He turned to face their frozen faces and Belle wanted to scream with him and ask what did he think he was doing. Tears were already burning in her eyes. “Bae, everything I did was to find you, son. I love you. And I love you too, Belle and Gideon, you are the lights of my life and I’ll always be grateful for my time with each one of you. This family made me stronger.”

When he held his hand up, a shadow came from the sky, depositing the dagger in it. Then, everything happened really fast. Rumplestiltskin grabbed his father by his shirt and pulled him on an awkward hug, as the shadow came down between them and he stabbed Pan with the dagger and whispered something to him. The once young boy turned in an old man right in front of them, so a huge light came from the dagger, blinding Belle’s eyes.

She felt as her body was released from the magic and when she could finally see again, they were gone.

Rumplestiltskin had done his sacrifice.

**Author's Note:**

> I guess it sounded like a cliffhanger, as much as I intended to make it the last part of the Family Hope series. Well, as always, I'm sorry for anything wrong in my writing, English is not my first language.


End file.
